2014 Honda Accord Hybrid

The 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid should surprise no one. Its look is something we've seen since the non-hybrid versions went on sale last year. Its powertrain, mostly, we are familiar with from the already-on-sale Accord Plug-In model. And the overall vibe of the car? Well, it's an Accord, which has been a strong seller in the US for three decades, so much so that there's a very good chance you've been in one at some point, whether you noticed or not.

Honda's first attempt at an Accord Hybrid, released in 2005, put dynamic performance first, but it didn't match the public's maturing perception of what a hybrid is all about: fuel economy. The 2005 version was capable of a measly 28 miles per gallon combined, 25 in the city and 33 on the highway. Remember those numbers, and that the first-generation Accord Hybrid lasted all of three model years before being axed.

An Accord Hybrid makes sense, especially in an era of tightening fuel economy regulations.

Despite all that, the idea of an Accord Hybrid makes sense, especially in an era of tightening fuel economy regulations. After all,Honda sells around 350,000 Accords a year, and improving the fuel economy of your most mass market vehicle, even by a little, makes a big difference when you're concerned about the "A" in CAFE. While Honda won't say what percentage of Accord sales it expects the Hybrid to make up – "We'll sell as many as we can" was the refrain – the addition of the 50/45/47 (city/highway/combined) Hybrid version means Honda finally has a deep lineup of powertrains and trim levels for this ninth-generation Accord family, with prices that range from $21,955 for the base standard version to $39,780 for the Accord Plug-In.

The Accord Hybrid starts roughly in the middle at $29,155, though doesn't in any way feel $10,000 cheaper than the Accord Plug-In, in part because its non-EV mileage figures are actually better than its more expensive brother (except for a 1-mpg win by the Accord Plug-In on the highway). The reason lies in the near-identical powertrains the two cars share.